We have brought up the question: Do scientists pray? in our Sunday
school class. It began by asking whether we could believe in both
science and religion. We are writing to scientists and other important
men, to try and have our own question answered.
We will feel greatly honored if you will answer our question: Do scientists pray, and what do they pray for?
We are in the sixth grade, Miss Ellis's class.
Respectfully yours,
Phyllis
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January 24, 1936
Dear Phyllis,
I will attempt to reply to your question as simply as I can. Here is my answer:
Scientists believe that every occurrence, including the affairs of human
beings, is due to the laws of nature. Therefore a scientist cannot be
inclined to believe that the course of events can be influenced by
prayer, that is, by a supernaturally manifested wish.
However, we must concede that our actual knowledge of these forces is
imperfect, so that in the end the belief in the existence of a final,
ultimate spirit rests on a kind of faith. Such belief remains widespread
even with the current achievements in science.
But also, everyone who is seriously involved in the pursuit of science
becomes convinced that some spirit is manifest in the laws of the
universe, one that is vastly superior to that of man. In this way the
pursuit of science leads to a religious feeling of a special sort, which
is surely quite different from the religiosity of someone more naive.
